Family of Hester Murphy, Creek Freedmen

In 1899 Hester Murphy applied for herself and her family as citizens of the Creek Nation in front of the Dawes Commission. From the records reflect the Murphy family from Coweta, a family well documented and strongly connected to the community, the land and to the Muskogee Creek Nation. On the enrollment cards, Hester's name is found as well as those of her daughters Fannie and Ruth, her sons Fred and Walter, an associate Joseph Stephens who was not related. She was a member of North Fork Town, and prior to the war, was once enslaved by Moty Canard.

Creek Freedman Card #171
Source: The National Archives at Ft. Worth, Ft. Worth Texas 1868-1914
NAI Number: 251747 Record Group Title: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Record Group 75
(Color Image Accessed from Ancestry)

The enrollment card is full of genealogical data, reflecting not only their names on prior rolls, but also notes on the front of the card reflect other relationships, such as the spouses of Hester's children and subsequently, their children (Hester's grandchildren) also.

Joseph Stephens who was not related to Hester, did have a tie to the family. He was listed actually as the father to one of Fannie's children listed on another card.

(Source: Same as Above)

On the back of the card, it is learned that Hester's father was enslaved by Roley McIntosh, and her mother was enslaved by Moty Canard. Her father was Wm. Murphy who was not a Creek citizen. 

(same as above)

From the Application Jacket

This is one of the rare Creek Freedmen application jackets that is full of data and that contains a very detailed interview. 

In the interview attention was directed to her history, and how long she had lived in the Territory and whether or not she was always living in the Creek Nation. She pointed out that she left when "all the people went out". She was referring to the time during the Civil War, when many people left their homes to avoid being in the vicinity of the battles and skirmishes.

To verify her presence, several questions were directed to her about various payments made to Creek citizens. They discussed whether she was on the 1890 roll, and if she had received the $29 payment and if she had drawn the $14 that was also paid.

Also in the interview the voice of Freedman leader Sugar George was found. He was a major leader who served in the House of Warriors, the House of Kings, and he served as town king of North Fork Colored town.

National Archives Microfilm Publication M1301

Ancestry.com. U.S., Native American Applications for Enrollment in Five Civilized Tribes, 1898-1914[database on-line]. 

Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc., 2013.

Sugar George had been town king for about 12 years at the time, serving in that capacity since the 1880s. Prior to that time he served in the House of Warriors. As questions were directed to him about the movement of Hester and her family, he pointed out that he knew with certainty that they were back in the Creek Nation before the 1866 treaty was signed. He pointed out that he know it, because he "took them into the yard" when they arrived, and that Hester's family was closely related to him.

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>Hester took the stand again and when asked about who traveled and returned, she named her family members, including her siblings.

(same as above)

The third witness was Tacky Grason, a legislator at that time in the Creek Nation. He was also able to verify Hester's ties to the nation. He knew her parents Nero McIntosh, and Hester's mother Sarah. He also corroborated that not only Hester's parents left during the war, but that most people had vacated the area during the war as well. He also confirmed as did Sugar George that when peace was declared they were already back in the Creek Nation.

(same as above)

Land Allotments

The Murphy family did obtain their land allotments and the allotment records and interviews also tell more of the Murphy family story.

Provo, UT, USA: Ancestry.com Operations, Inc, 2014.

(same as above)

There is much to be learned from the Murphy family file. The relationships among the various "classes" of Creeks was a strong one, and the Murphys were viewed as Creeks and not as outsiders. Their status as "Freedmen" was outweighed by their simply being viewed and treated as Creek. In addition, the roll that "Freedmen" such as Sugar George was evident and his involvement as a ruler in the nation is verified, and undisputed.

The lives of the Freedmen from the Creek Nation were closely aligned to all Creeks and the culture of this family was without one that was strong and deeply rooted as Muskogee Creek people. 

(This is the 29th article in a 52-article series devoted to sharing histories of families once held as enslaved people in Indian Territory, now known as Oklahoma. The focus is on the Freedmen of the Five Civilized Tribes, and these posts are part of an ongoing project to document 52 families in 52 weeks.)

Dawes Records are only Part of the Story

Two cards reflecting Charles Alexander Creek Freedman

 

When researching families from Indian Territory, especially those whose families are reflected on the Dawes rolls it is important to know that the entire story does not rest with Dawes Records.  The Dawes Records began when the allotment process started in the 1890s that would eventually lead to Oklahoma statehood in 1907. The Dawes records primarily cover the years 1898-1914. In those final years the New Born and Minor children were completed to include those children born after the initial interviews had begun. Nevertheless the Dawes files do reflect a useful record set for those who descend from families tied to the Five Civilized Tribes, Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek and Seminole nations. With Freedmen files the data is especially treasured, because the information can reflect the parents, and the names of slave holders as well.

 

However---not every file was completed in the same manner, and it is always wise to look at earlier documents. The tenacious researcher will benefit greatly from exploring as many documents as possible. It is hoped that the ultimate goal is to tell the family story. Unfortunately for some people the only goal is citizenship, and many once completed they might terminate their research. And some, if tribal enrollment is not obtained, they too abandon the research although much more data might be found on the family's unique history.  The greater loss is that the family may be missing out on more details of a rich family history. Hopefully these few records might encourage the researcher to keep going.

 

In the case of Creek Freedman Charles Alexander whose card is shown below, one sees a man from the Creek Nation, who lived in Bearden I.T. His card was on Creek Freedman card 1855. He was a member of North Fork town, and his name had also appeared on the Dunn Roll.

 

National Archives Publication M1186 Creek Freedman Card #1855

 

Unfortunately, the reverse side of his enrollment card yields no information about his parents, nor any additional ties to the nation.

 

The reverse side of the card for Charles Alexander revealed no additional information

 

 

Prior to the creation of the Dawes Rolls the Creek Nation had begun their interview process earlier and a set of records that still exists is known as the Old Series Cards. The Old Series Cards preceded the Dawes Cards, an in some cases additional information about the family can be obtained.  Charles Alexander had a card that was part of the Old Series and it reveals a good amount of information about him.

 

Old Series Card of Charles Alexander, Card #12

 

From the Old Series card, it is learned that he is the son of Isaac Alexander of the Chickasaw Nation, and Polly Ann Grayson Alexander. He is the uncle to Priscilla and Sam King, who were residing with him at the time. All were residents of North Fork Town (colored) and the relationships are clearly spelled out.

 

The Old Series Creek Cards need to be addressed more in depth, for in many cases they can unlock doors into more of the family history, and may be the key to revealing more family stories. These cards are arranged by district and card number, and they typically do not correspond to the Dawes cards by numbers. More information about the Olds Series Cards can be found HERE.

 

In some cases both cards will provide good information. The Old Series cards, often describe the relationships between family members in more detail, and explain relationships often more clearly.

A good example is the case of Caroline Bruner, another Creek citizen. The data is rich on the Old Series Card bearing her case.

 

 

The hand written piece on the right side of the card describes clearly several relationships between parties listed on the card. 

 

Front Side of Caroline Bruner Card

National Archives Publication M1186 Creek Nation Card #523

 

Reverse Side of Caroline Bruner Card

 

The Dawes Card reflects people in the household but not as clearly as the written text on the Old Series Card. However, the critical information pertaining to the identity of the Creek slave holder on the Dawes Card, and this is data useful to the family historian, and information that the careful researcher will want to incorporate into the family data.

 

These are two small examples of how all records bearing the name of the family are essential to telling the story completely and accurately. Hopefully it will inspire others to look at earlier records as part of the research process.